A Trade Guide for EU4

A brief overview of how trade works in EU4

[@ViktorVildras]

Hey all, sorry if this didn't fully clarify trade. It is a very, very big topic and trying to condense down to 30 minutes can be, difficult, with such topics. If you have any questions leave it in a comment. I have no issues answering questions if you have any.

[@keglez4924]

There are some useful estate privs, for the Burghers in particular, giving provincial trade power/ light ship trade power/ mercantilism: exclusive trade rights (can grant and revoke when burgher equalibrium>loyalty to spam mercantlism to 100) Trade embargos scale off of mercantlism also. Keep in mind you can embargo a rival's subject without getting the trade efficency pentaly. Trade value mapmode is quite useful for playing tall, expecially earlier. If you intend to dip dev, focus on the higher value goods first (spending 60 to dev a 4.5 value copper province> spending 40 to dev a 2.0 value grain tile) Can just do math on this. Trade companies can be used all over the map and depends entirely on where your trade capital is located, (can TC northern Denmark as Lubeck and or move your capital to Danzig to TC most of Germany is so desired) Good Video boss

[@ViktorVildras]

Useful information. Hard to condense it into 30 minutes, because people get mad at anything longer lol. But I will heart so people can see the comment.

[@survivalizer]

If you're catholic and can stack curia power cost reduction/papal influence you can get 1 mercantilism for like 5 papal influence if you choose the right golden bull when you get papal controller and just spam mercantilism. Sucks if you have colonies though.

[@bombaclart3910]

Now I can actually maintain a functional economy whilst blobbing with 274% overextension😂

[@ViktorVildras]

I mean, if all your trade nodes are domestic. And I just realized I missed something important. *scribbles a note to make an OA guide*

[@bombaclart3910]

@@ViktorVildrasmy man id recommend a Byzantium let’s play make a poll

[@carltonleboss]

Good guide.

[@luddite31]

Is it fair to say that trade is mostly a late-game mechanic? Usually when I see trade guides, it's people showing off a massive empire, or at least one big enough to have 5+ merchants and tons of light ships. Early in the game, when you just have the two starting merchants and a few light ships, it seems like trade just doesn't amount to much no matter what you do. Is that right?

[@ViktorVildras]

You don't make much in comparison to late game, but you still make money compared to your overall expenses. The reason why it seems so low is the amount of goods that are produced is lower early game. Prices rise for goods throughout the game. And finally more goods actually flow to Europe towards the end of the game. But trade can be useful even early game depending on the nation. Netherlands, England, France, Venice etc can all make substantial money off of trade due to their trade nodes by pulling from feeder nodes like Lubeck or Constantinople.

[@luddite31]

@@ViktorVildras Thanks! that makes sense. Sometimes it's hard to tell "what's potentially very powerful" vs "what's actually practical in a normal game state"

[@viniciusyugulis7278]

Idk I just turned everything I could into trade protectorates once I got that government reform as Britain and then I suddendly started to make over 3K gold per month

[@Omertahun]

Im being honest: I have a whole lot of difficult things I had to learn in my life being an architect/civil engineer and I gave up on EU4 when I started to be more difficult than those mentioned things. Even though Im not a stupid retard, I just cannot deal with that in my spare time.

[@ViktorVildras]

Lol, ya. I get it. I'm trained as a tax lawyer and the tax code can be easier at times.

[@swagbringer3386]

Step 1 : WC Step 2: Get money.